It Isn't Over.

Chapter One

June

I downed my third shot of tequila and slammed the glass back down on the table while the people sitting around me erupted into cheers. I wasn't drunk. I didn't like getting drunk and incontrollable. It made my true feelings shine through the crack that I worked so hard to glue shut. Three shots did nothing to me. I was anything but a lightweight.

Tyler put his arm around my shoulder and I leaned into his touch. I craved affection but I never accepted love. "Be careful, Jade" he whispered into my ear. Being close to another person frightened me of the possibility of losing them. But Tyler and I weren't close; physically maybe but not emotionally, never emotionally. He made me feel wanted yet at the same time I didn't risk getting hurt.

"Of what?" I asked leaning my mouth close to his and smelling the alcohol on his breath.

"If you get drunk then I might have to take advantage of you" he teased pecking my lips.

It took us a few tries to get the hang of our teasing; to find the boundaries and limits but after fooling around many times, we got the hang of it. We knew what made the other tick without leaving their comfort zone and that was exactly what I needed. I needed a comfort zone so I wouldn't fall too far and get too hurt.

We called to the waitress to get our table another round of shots. Tonight was the first night of summer; I was officially a high school graduate. Tyler tightened his grip on my waist and lifted me up out of my seat next to him until I landed in his lap. "I can't resist you" he murmured into my hair.

I placed a kiss on his pouty lips and when the waitress returned I took another shot. I felt Tyler's hand sliding under the strap of my tank top and I smacked it, giving him a look of playful reprimand. "Not at the table" I cooed.

I lifted myself off of his lap, pulled Sophie up from the other side of the table, and dragged her to the bathroom. I checked my reflection and then peered in closer so I could examine better. I pulled out my tube of berry pink lipstick and spread some more along my lips, smacked them together, parted them and took one last look. I looked good enough to kill.

"You and Tyler are getting pretty serious" she said eyeing me carefully. Relationships were a sore subject for me and she knew too tread cautiously around it.

"Not really" I said not meeting her eyes.

"Have you guys talked about becoming exclusive?" she asked with submission in her tone. I looked at her in the mirror "You know we're not like that" I said. "Tyler and I are fun; not serious."

"Maybe you should be serious" she suggested.

Sophie and I had been best friends since the third grade. I had slipped on the playground at recess and while everyone laughed at me, she stood up for me and helped me up. Nobody laughed at Sophie. She was perfect; beautiful. Her long blond hair flowed over her shoulders in perfect waves and her blue eyes were anything but ordinary.She was the kind of girl you loved to hate. Pretty and thin with all the guys falling all over her. Sometimes I thought if she wasn't my best friend, I'd hate her miserably for being so perfect. I had my fair share of guys too but I just gave them some fun, I didn't give them my heart. I'd been hurt before and I was not going down that road again. Been there, done that.

"Sophie, I'm going away to college in a few months. I'm not looking for heartbreak. You know better than anyone that I don't go well with a broken heart."

Besides for being my best friend, she was one of the only people who could see right through me. When I was trying to pull off the strong façade, she knew just when to call my bullshit.

"You look fine to me" she smirked.

"That's because my heart's not broken anymore. I spent all that time fixing it and I won't let it break again."